How to avoid groupthink
Eliminating the roadblocks of teamwork
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Picture this: you're in a team meeting and have an important decision to make. Everyone nods in agreement, smiles plastered, but deep down, you know it's a mediocre plan. You're caught in the icy grip of groupthink.
Even if you’re very open to communication and discussion, your employees may still decide to keep their opinions to themselves – not because they’re afraid of you but simply because they don’t want to stir the pot and damage team spirit.
Keep reading to learn more about the harmful effects of groupthink and techniques to prevent it and unleash your team's creativity.
Q: Does your team always follow you?
Isn’t this something every manager would love to hear? In theory, yes, it can be great, but you must be careful.
The team leader is the number one risk of groupthink in a team. As a leader, it’s your job to find a balance between team harmony and the effect of groupthink.
But why is groupthink so dangerous?
It is mostly because it often leads to poor decision-making, stifling teams’ critical thinking and discouraging people from expressing contrary opinions.
While groupthink is all about reaching an agreement, it is, by definition, negative because it can result in poor judgment and decision-making.
Here are just some of the problems it could cause:
Blindness to potentially harmful outcomes
Lack of creativity
Poor decision-making
Inability to see other solutions
Not looking for things that the group might not yet know
Illusion of unanimity
But why does this happen?
Groupthink is a phenomenon first observed by psychologist Irving L. Janis, and it occurs when a group values unity and consensus more than critical thinking and rational analysis.
In those circumstances, the desire for group cohesion could drive out good decision-making and problem-solving practices.
Here are five key characteristics of groupthink:
Illusion of unanimity: Members believe that everyone in the group agrees, even if they have doubts or concerns.
Collective rationalization: Group members tend to downplay or ignore warning signs and reject conflicting information to maintain the illusion of unanimity.
Self-censorship: Group members withhold their contrary opinions or doubts to avoid conflict with others.
Stereotyping outsiders: Outsiders or contrary voices are seen as the group's enemy, and their views are dismissed without consideration.
Direct pressure on dissenters: Those who express dissenting opinions may feel pressured to conform to the majority view.
Irving L. Janis suggested that it happens when there is:
A persuasive group leader
Strong group cohesion
Intense external pressure to make a good decision
Real-life examples
Here are a few well-known examples that illustrate the harmful effects that happen when this phenomenon gets out of control:
The Watergate scandal: Groupthink among President Nixon’s advisers resulted in following his orders without critical thinking, leading to unethical and illegal actions.
The Challenger space shuttle disaster: In this case, groupthink within NASA led to a catastrophic decision and disregarding safety concerns, which resulted in the shuttle exploding.
The 2003 invasion of Iraq: Groupthink led to unanimously assuming that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. No one wanted to hear dissenting voices, which resulted in a costly military intervention based on inaccurate information.
The 2008 economic crisis: In 2008, groupthink was evident among financial institutions and policymakers. They underestimated the risks of complex financial instruments and housing market instability, which led to a severe global financial meltdown from which it took us years to recover.
Internet cancel culture: An example we can see almost every day involves boycotting and social media shaming celebrities who allegedly did something wrong and even canceling people who attempt to defend them or challenge public opinion.
How to prevent and overcome groupthink
The first step is awareness and recognizing that it’s not your fault as a manager, nor does it mean you’re a bad leader. It just happens, and your willingness to work on it shows that you’re an exceptional leader who leads by example and not by authority alone.
Did you know that 70% of employee engagement depends solely on their manager? Therefore, it’s essential to find a way to include your employees in the decision-making process, which prevents one person or a small group from dominating final verdicts.
Here are some actionable strategies that can help you overcome and reduce groupthink.
Six Thinking Hats
This effectively approaches a problem or idea from different perspectives, allowing people to play "Devil's Advocate" without fearing consequences.
Each color represents a different way of thinking (critical thinking, innovative thinking, empathy, optimism etc.) and can help you tackle the problem from different perspectives.
You can try out a quicker version by simply dividing your team into two groups:
The red team has a task to critique and challenge group decisions
The blue team is there to defend those decisions
That way, you’re allowing your employees to express their opinions in a safe and risk-free environment without being judged.
Also, one study showed a 16% increase in the number of ideas produced by groups encouraged to criticize one another's ideas compared with teams that were supposed to withhold criticism.
This exercise promotes healthy debate, brings out different perspectives, and could help your team bond deeper.
Brainstorming & Braindumping
These two methods may seem similar, but they’re actually quite opposite.
While brainstorming sessions are often more structured and guided by a particular goal (generating ideas for a new project, solving a problem etc.), braindumping that involves writing down everything that comes to mind is more spontaneous and may encourage people to be more open-minded and share more without feeling judged.
Different people react differently to these methods, so it’s best to try and test them, and you may be surprised by how some employees who are usually reserved may open up.
What Could Go Wrong
This creative exercise, also known as reverse thinking, includes inviting your employees to imagine a worst-case scenario where your project or decision has failed and then asking them to identify why it could have failed.
Reverse thinking can help you uncover potential risks and weaknesses you might easily overlook in a groupthink scenario.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis can help you evaluate a decision or a plan from multiple angles. Take a big piece of paper and divide it into four parts.
Encourage your team members to openly share their opinions and concerns, even those they might not be 100% sure about. It’s all part of the exercise, and when it’s structured like this, you might discover potential drawbacks you haven’t been aware of.
Unleash the power of diverse perspectives
As a leader or manager, you hold the key to unlocking the extraordinary potential of your team. While teamwork is essential for success, groupthink can harm decision-making and reduce creativity and innovation.
A true leader leads by example. Dare to think differently, and you could unlock a world of new ideas and possibilities.